Courageous Confession
by Dakk Tribal
Summary: Turns out Sice has something to get off her chest and she is feeling quite desperate about doing it, and it involves the always talkative Jack / Fluff


Nervously, Sice stood around the corner from where a group of cadets were speaking, and she was shaking. Shaking out of nervousness, which was unheard of for the number six of Class Zero, and while she had a good reason for doing so she would never want to admit it in front of anyone and if anyone found out about what she was about to do she was going to mutilate someone.

What got her on edge was what she held in her hands. A little pick box with a violet bow on top. Inside it were soft treats she had bought at the bakery in McTighe made just that very morning, as evidenced by the fact that the box was warm in Sice's hands. As tasty as they were though, Sice had bought them for someone else obviously. And he was in the group around the corner. The classroom Class Zero was supposed to be in was locked and would only be available when their instructor Kurasame arrived but he wouldn't be at Akademia for another half hour or so and she didn't want to wait too long to give them away to the person she needed to.

She took a deep breath and peered around the corner, seeing the four cadets of Class Zero speaking with each other. The four cadets were Ace, Jack, King, and Eight. Four friends who were talking about anything that was going on in class, with Ace being the one who did a good portion of the talking while the rest was picked up by Eight, and King and Jack listened. They didn't seem to notice Sice despite a good portion of her disheveled silver hair going around the corner, and she popped back around to avoid being seen. She was beginning to feel a bit impatient, "How long are they going to be standing there? Come on already..." She wanted to get this over with, but she didn't want to be forceful if she could help it.

"Alright guys, we'd better make sure we're ready for Kurasame when he shows up today. I'll meet you in class."

"Yeah sure, later."

"See you in a bit."

Footsteps, she heard footsteps coming down her way, and Sice's heart began to beat rapidly. Looking down at the ground she saw there was only a single shadow and she took a deep breath and readied herself, even though she didn't know who it was that was coming down the hall.

As the cadet passed the corner Sice was overly relieved to see that it was who she desired and, without a waste in motion, grabbed him by the arm and pulled him through the door next to where she had been standing and into an empty classroom. She closed the door behind her quietly and took gave a slow exhale before taking another big breath.

The cadet she threw into the room stumbled as one would expect to be yanked around by someone unexpectedly, and when he got his posture corrected, he turned around and Sice stood in front of the door.

It was here that Sice made eye contact with Jack, and for a few long moments she said nothing, and hid the package behind her back.

Jack didn't know what was going on but knew from the look Sice gave him that she was up to something. Best way to know was to ask in his mind. "Sice? What's going on?"

"I'm just...uh...nothing," she struggled to speak and bit her lip.

"Nothing? I don't know what's going on but to throw me into an empty room and call that nothing? That's not a good joke," he said.

"I needed to do something. But..." She took another big breath and continued, "Listen, this is not easy for me and all I need is for you to listen...please."

Jack couldn't help but notice that she wasn't acing like her normal self. Normally Sice wasn't the most social girl in Akademia, and there were times that she avoided contact with people altogether. Ice Queen was a common nickname for her in the school and she wore it like a badge of honor. The fact that she was saying more than a couple sentences and even saying 'please' meant that Jack had better listen to what she had to say.

"Okay...I'm all ears," he said with a smile, his characteristic smile that made him who he was.

Sice found herself blushing. Incredulous! She tilted her head down and turned it away from him, "I got you in here because of what happened the other day. Remember a few days ago?"

Jack tried to remember anything that he and Sice were involved in, and of course they had rarely interacted despite being in the same class. She tolerated him but didn't talk to him whenever they were in close proximity.

Then it hit him.

A few days ago he had found her on the terrace at the end of the school day. He had gone there to enjoy the view before heading back to the dorms, and from what he remembered she had been alone. When he had approached her she turned and shouted at him to leave her alone. She had seemed fiery hot with anger and from the way her face had been (Jack had sworn he had seen her eyes all watery), he could've sworn that she had been crying. When he had asked her what was wrong she had said there had been nothing wrong and to once again leave her alone. Of course, Jack being the man that he was did no such thing. He had tried to make peace with her and asked her if there was any way he could help. She had refused his help but he still offered to help her.

Then he had told her a bit of advice. 'Whenever I am feeling terrible, I usually just smile and tell myself I'll be alright. It usually does.'

Those were the words he had said to her before he had left, saying he hoped that she'd be okay.

"Oh, that? I remember. What happened?"

Sice stood up straight, looking Jack in the eyes and looking like she was going to pass out from the butterflies she had in her stomach, said "I had feelings for Kurasame."

She saw Jack's eyes go wide with amazement. "Really?"

"It took me forever to write that letter to him, expressing how I felt in such words that I couldn't believe I wrote it. The only thing stopping me was giving it to him in person. I managed to get the courage to do it and I did."

Jack didn't say anything. He knew she wasn't done.

Sice took another breath, and despite feeling flustered and very embarrassed, "I gave it to him just after class ended." She shook her head, "He rejected me. Can you believe that? Poured my heart out and he refused it. Granted it was a polite rejection, saying he didn't want to get in trouble with a possible affair with one of his own students and get me expelled in the process. 'We can be friends, Sice. Nothing more.' That's what he had said to me. I didn't take it too good and well...that's when you found me on the terrace."

"Man...that's rough, Sice. I'm sorry," Jack had said, fully realizing the seriousness of the situation. She had her heart broken by the guy she had confessed to, and when she was all broken into many little pieces he had unknowingly helped piece her back together.

She shook her head slowly, and the redness in her cheeks returned and made her all flustered, "I got over it, and I have you to thank for that." She brought her hands out from behind her back, and held out the package for him. "This is my way of saying...thank you!" She turned her head away and shut her eyes tightly.

She had thought that he was unable to respond, or that he wouldn't accept her gift, but those fears soon vanished when she felt his hands touch hers. Opening her eyes, Sice felt weak in the knees. Her hands had been really warm like the rest of her body was during the entire conversation, and so when his cool yet soothing hands touched hers she lightly gasped. Her hands stopped shaking as he held

"You got this for me?"

Sice couldn't believe it. Was he actually accepting it? She nodded, "It may not seem like a big deal but it was to me..."

He took the package from her no longer trembling hands, "Then, I'm glad I was able to help out, even if all I got was a feeling that you were upset about something. How lucky we both were, huh?"

He laughed, and Sice felt herself smiling in return.

"Thanks Sice, I'll be sure to enjoy them when we have lunch. I'm also glad that you're doing better."

Feeling the greatest weight lift off her shoulders, Sice stood up straight and smiled again, "I certainly hope so."

As the two smiled at each other there seemed to be a harmony in the air between them, and then the silence was broken by the ringing of the first bell that signaled the start of classes at Akademia.

"Well..." Jack peered up at the clock in the far corner of the room they were in. "We'd better get to class, huh?"

Sice nodded, turning to open the door, she honestly felt so good that she could float away. As she went out the door she stopped and turned towards Jack, her old demeanor returning, "One last thing. If you tell anyone about this meeting I will cut you into ribbons, got that?!"

She ran out the door, but as Jack smiled and followed her out, she smiled as well knowing that she had someone she could count on to make her feel better whenever she felt down.


End file.
